Welcome to the Vermont Center for Afterschool Excellence!

The Vermont Center for Afterschool Excellence is a statewide partnership of individuals, agencies, and organizations working together to support programs that offer innovative learning programs that extend beyond the school day for the children and youth of Vermont.

The Center has three main goals:

(1)  Create and support a broad partnership structure that promotes the education of Vermont’s children and youth in creative and non-traditional ways that extend beyond the school day;

(2)  Advocate for a strong and diversified funding structure for afterschool programs in Vermont and policies that encourage partnerships, complementary connections, and collaboration; and

(3)  Develop an effective system of professional development and standards that ensures high-quality programs that support the intellectual, social, emotional, and physical development of children and youth.

Vermont’s afterschool partnership through the Center includes state leaders from the Vermont Department of Education, the Vermont Department of Children and Families- Child Development Division, the Vermont Educational Services Agencies and the Champlain Valley Educator Development, the Vermont House of Representatives, the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, Linking Learning to Life, Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains, the Global Challenge Award, the Vermont School-Age Care Network, Vermont Family Network, several Vermont school districts, the Afterschool Alliance Afterschool Ambassador program, educators, afterschool providers, and youth development experts.

The Vermont Center for Afterschool Excellence is funded in large part but the Charles Stuart Mott Foundation. Through Mott’s support, a number of national organizations provide technical support and resources to the Center by virtue of Vermont being a part of the National Statewide Afterschool Network. They include the Afterschool Alliance, Council of Chief State School Officers, National League of Cities, National Governors Association, National Conference of State Legislatures, and The Finance Project, with assistance from Learning Points Associates and Collaborative Communications Group.

Through the Center, afterschool programs around Vermont can expect to receive the following:

• Technical assistance and program support
• Statewide evaluation services and reports
• Professional development opportunities, including topic-based workshops as well as a comprehensive site-based coaching model
• Support for public education efforts
• Access to resources for building and maintaining high-quality programs